Was talking about The Ashes with my 7 y.o son. "What happens when you win?" he asked? "Well, you get to tease English people." I then explained to him that the English have won The Ashes since 2009 and look a certainty for the current series. He then asked me "can we barrack for England?" In any case I'm not taking this lying down, so we were out in the nets this afternoon on an 8 degree winter's day in hats, scarves and gloves. We practised until sunset...at which point he chucked a tantrum saying that he wanted to keep practising. Maybe he'll help win The Ashes back in 20 years.

RE : Johnson. I don't rate him as a spearhead but he's a good stock bowler. His overall record is still good (205 wickets at 31) but I'll never forgive him for singlehandedly losing the 2nd test of the 2009 series when he bowled 9 overs for 61 on the first day.

One swallow doesn't make a summer. Gooch may have a had a few good innings against the West Indies, but in 1989 Terry Alderman make him look like an idiot. You'll never, ever convince an Australian that Gooch was an elite batsman because against us he was awful. I borrowed this book recently from the library for my son to read and it made the same point. I had no idea about Gooch's record and heroics against other countries. I mean, if I post a link to Bryan will be on his loungeroom floor in a foetal position in about 4 seconds

BTW I was trawling cricinfo today and if you sort the #of runs made by Test batsman from 1980 to 1989, this is what you find: AR Border (Aus) 1980-1989 97 164 30 7386 205 55.11 20 40 4 DI Gower (Eng) 1980-1989 89 157 11 6196 215 42.43 12 32 4 Javed Miandad (Pak) 1980-1989 76 110 7 5642 280* 54.77 16 26 3 IVA Richards (WI) 1980-1989 78 112 8 5113 208 49.16 15 28 7 Gooch made 3970 runs at 38.5. Note quite in the same league.

Clarke contributes to the collapse in two ways 1) By coming in at #5, the batting has already collapsed when he comest to the wicket. If he comes in at #4 (or heaven forfend #3) he can stop the collapse in the first place. When we rebuilt our side in the 80's Allan Border always batted at #3 or #4. 2) By ensuring that a player with a test average of 45 (who has made 874 runs at 72 in the current country season) won't play for Australia. Re : bowling. Peter Siddle is currently ranked #5 in the world (3rd best paceman behind Steyn and Philander). Our depth in pace bowling is fine (and is probably the 2nd best in the world) when we can choose from Siddle, Pattinson, Starc, Harris and Johnson. We have no spin option though and haven't since Warne retired. Which is another reason why the English should embrace the dry summer and prepare dust bowls. You have good spinners, our batsman can't play spin and it nullifies the only advantage we have IMO which is a good pace attack.

Actually he's an awful captain IMO and the rot of the Australian team starts with him. The reason why Katich will never play for Australia again is that he and Clarke had a huge bust-up in the dressing room a few seasons ago (see here and here.) Ponting is retired. The South Africans in Australia last summer showed that Ponting is no longer of Test standard. For the good of the team, Clarke should bat at four. But he's a selfish prick, so he doesn't. In any case, perhaps after being smashed 5-0 home and away Clarke will resign as captain and we can begin the rebuilding process properly, instead of just papering over the cracks and pretending we still have a Test team. Agar's fluke debut innings is not the norm. I bet someone will soon do an analysis of the number of top-order batting collapses we've had since Clarke was captain relative to other 'dark times' in our Test history. Maybe I'm an old fart and my memory is shot but I can't remember us rolling over so regularly in the 1980's under Border. Yes the Windies rolled us cheaply at home a few times in '84, and Hadlee did the same a few years earlier, but I also remember some players getting stuck in and situations like Border and Matthews celebrating when we avoided the follow-on. PS I told you we can't play spin to save ourselves.

This the same guy who took 17 wickets in 3 tests at 26.82 in India?

You guys should embrace the warm weather and prepare dust bowls. Swan and Panesar will finish the test for you in four days. Have you seen Phil Hughes play spin?

I don't remember the Clarke incident. I found video of it here : Apparenty he apologised on Twitter afterwards for not walking link

I reckon you're being incredibly optimistic. I also think you forget the nature of the character of people like Border and Waugh who grew into Test cricket getting their bodies smashed apart by the West Indies. Put it this way, go back to the Adelaide 1993 test match when Australia were within two runs of winning the series. If Tony Crafter had given McDermott not out, do you think he would have walked? Should he have? How do you think Border et al would have felt about that?

That was worth it just to watch English fans get all nervous and keany. In the long run, its better for us to lose the game as an amazing victory would have papered over the cracks of how keanhouse our top 6 is. You can't win matches expecting your lower order to bail you out every innings. It's a shame we have a great bowling attack (who all show a lot of heart and application with the bat as well) but they are wasted on our batsman at the moment. Mind you I've got no idea who else you'd pick.

He's the Sherminator - what do you expect

Some of the Aussie rage against Broad on other forums is quite hilarious. Honestly, if Steve Waugh had done the same thing they'd be praising his hard-nosed attitude and laughing at all the English rage

What an odd comment. Australia got done by South Africa at home, struggled to beat Sri Lanka, were complete rubbish against India, and will probably get beaten in four days in this test, yet you say I'm only posting here because Australia are 'doing well' I'm hear to talk cricket with old mates and sparring partners from Ashes series in the past. The cricket knowledge on this forum is very good. The reason why I don't post here anymore in general is predominantly because of Venky's. I'm still on the brfc email list but quite frankly as long as the club is run by brain-dead morons it takes away any interest in following the club. Re : Broad. He doesn't have to walk. Clarke will be a bit more circumspect w.r.t. reviews in future, and I think Australia will be lucky to bat for a 5th day. Bell won the test for you last night. I'm actually happy for Ian that he's managed to carve out a top career for himself after Warne and McGrath stopped tormenting him. Fair play to him.

You think that's tough? Do you know the story of Dean Jones' double hundred in the Madras tied test? After his first hundred Deano while Deano was vomiting on the pitch and involuntarily urinating due to acute dehydration, AB said to him If you can't hack it, let's get a tough Queenslander out here - get me Greg Ritchie!. He went to tea at 202* and AB and Simmo basically kicked back out onto the pitch. But when you are capable of amazing feats such as saving a game against the West Indies by yourself : http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63368.html, I guess you are allowed to be tough on others who you think aren't taking the game as seriously as you do. Border was one of the best batsman of the 1980's along with Gavaskar, Miandad and Richards.

The way you feel about Australia is how I used to feel about the West Indies. You'll get over it in time BTW that Hughes clip is quite relevant because IMO Clarke is the 'new Hughes' and Australia is still a few years away from rock bottom. We will begin to turn things around once Clark leaves as captain because IMO, he is not a leader of men like Border/Taylor/Waugh were.

True however the Australian have manage to find bowlers who are more than handy with the bat and on their day, can put on big partnerships. Starc has a test high score of 99 and averages 32 in his short Test career (his first class average is 25). Pattinson averages 28 in Tests (20 in 1st class) and Siddle averages 15 in Tests (17 in 1st class) but has a 1st class hundred (recently against Scotland) and made history on the recent Indian tour for top scoring and both innings as a number 9

Too true! Having said that it was an entertaining day's cricket.

Worst since the early 1980's. We actually don't have a proper top six. We have five opening batsman and Michael Clarke.

I think we all expected something like that. Australia has a good fast bowling attack but one Test quality batsman. The rest are rubbish. On paper England should win every test by about 200 runs.

How many people here would agree to a 20% pay-cut?

Don't forget defending theno

They still haven't made an offer to Cappello yet?!?!

Fabio wants the job. The FA should give it to him. Case closed. End of discussion IMO. phillipl - I'd also be pleased to know why you think a manager who has taken a team to successive champions-league finals (ie Benitez) would be a horrible England manager?!?

Eddie - how many of the 'players who show it every week in the Premiership' are actually English? Even Australia could get a point against Croatia....